Heat and moisture transfer apparatus integrated into an exterior partition

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods that may be used to integrate a heat and moisture exchange system with the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system of a building or other enclosed space, without requiring installation within the walls or other structural portions of the building.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for enabling heat and moisture exchange between air streams entering and leaving a building, comprising:
 a modular exchanger partition including a plurality of modules disposed on a building rooftop, each module defining an interior channel;   a membrane, permeable to water vapor and substantially impermeable to constituent gases of air, disposed within each module and dividing the interior channel of the module into a first sub-channel through which a first air stream may pass and a second sub-channel through which a second air stream may simultaneously pass;   a plurality of supply air inlets, each configured to allow ingress of supply air from an environment external to the building into one of the first sub-channels;   a return air manifold configured to receive return air from an interior environment of the building and to direct a portion of the return air into each of the second sub-channels; and   a supply air manifold configured to receive reconditioned supply air from each of the first sub-channels and to direct the reconditioned supply air from the first sub-channels to an air conditioning unit disposed on the building rooftop.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of reconditioned return air outlets, each providing egress of reconditioned return air from one of the modules into the environment external to the building. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the return air manifold includes a return air flow control damper configured to receive return air that enters the return air manifold, to direct a first portion of the return air toward the air conditioning unit, and to direct a second portion of the return air into the second sub-channels. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the return air flow control damper is further configured to provide control over the rate of return air flowing into the return air manifold. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the return air manifold defines a cross-sectional area that decreases as the manifold extends away from the flow control damper and toward each successive module. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a reconditioned return air manifold configured to receive reconditioned return air from each of the second sub-channels and to direct the reconditioned return air toward a return air flow control damper. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the return air flow control damper is configured to direct a first portion of the reconditioned return air into the air conditioning unit, and a second portion of the reconditioned return air into the environment external to the building. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the reconditioned return air manifold defines a cross-sectional area that increases as the reconditioned return air manifold extends from each successive module toward the return air flow control damper. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the supply air manifold defines a cross-sectional area that increases as the supply air manifold extends from each successive module toward the air conditioning unit. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for enabling heat and moisture exchange between air streams entering and leaving a building, comprising:
 a partition configured to be disposed outside a building in the vicinity of an air conditioning unit of the building, the partition defining an interior channel;   a membrane disposed within the partition and dividing the interior channel into a first sub-channel through which an incoming air stream may pass and a second sub-channel through which an outgoing air stream may simultaneously pass;   a fresh air inlet configured to allow ingress of fresh air into the first sub-channel;   an exhaust air outlet configured to allow egress of exhaust air out of the second sub-channel;   a supply air conduit configured to connect the first sub-channel to a supply air port of the air conditioning unit, and thus to transport the incoming airstream from the partition to the supply air port; and   a return air conduit configured to connect the second sub-channel to a return air port of the air conditioning unit, and thus to transport the outgoing airstream from the return air port to the partition;   wherein the membrane is permeable to water vapor and substantially impermeable to constituent gases of air.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a supply air flow control damper disposed between the supply air conduit and the supply air port, and a return air flow control damper disposed between the return air conduit and the return air port. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a supply air fan disposed between the partition and the supply air port, and a return air fan disposed between the partition and the return air port. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the partition includes a plurality of substantially identical partition modules, the supply air conduit connects the first sub-channel of each module to the supply air port, and the return air conduit connects the second sub-channel of each module to the return air port. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the supply air conduit defines a length dimension corresponding to a direction of air flow from the partition toward the supply air port, and a cross-sectional area of the supply air conduit increases along the length dimension to accommodate supply air received from successive modules. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the return air conduit defines a length dimension corresponding to a direction of air flow from the return air port toward the modules, and a cross-sectional area of the return air conduit decreases along the length dimension as the return air passes into successive modules. 
     
     
         16 . A system for enabling heat and moisture exchange between air streams entering and leaving a building, comprising:
 a partition defining an interior channel and disposed on a building rooftop;   a membrane, permeable to water vapor and substantially impermeable to constituent gases of air, disposed within the partition and dividing the interior channel into a first sub-channel through which a first air stream may pass and a second sub-channel through which a second air stream may simultaneously pass;   a supply air inlet configured to allow ingress of supply air from an environment external to the building into the first sub-channel;   a return air inlet configured to receive return air from an interior environment of the building and to direct at least a portion of the return air into the second sub-channel;   a supply air outlet configured to allow egress of reconditioned supply air from the first sub-channel;   a return air outlet configured to allow egress of reconditioned return air from the second sub-channel; and   a supply air conduit fluidically connecting the supply air outlet to an air conditioning unit disposed on the building rooftop, and configured to transport reconditioned supply air from the supply air outlet to the air conditioning unit.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the return air inlet is configured to direct substantially all of the return air into the second sub-channel. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a return air flow control damper configured to receive reconditioned return air from the return air outlet, to direct a first portion of the reconditioned return air toward the air conditioning unit, and to direct a second portion of the reconditioned return air into the environment external to the building. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a return air flow control damper configured to receive return air from the return air inlet, to direct a first portion of the return air toward the air conditioning unit, and to direct a second portion of the return air into the second sub-channel. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein substantially all of the second portion of the return air passes through the second sub-channel and then passes out of the return air outlet and into the environment external to the building as reconditioned return air.